Here’s a math puzzle I remember from way back at school

Once upon a time (that was original wasn’t it), there was an Arab who owned 19 camels. On his deathbed, he bequeathed the camels to his three sons. The eldest would receive half, the next a quarter and the youngest a fifth. Then he died.

The brothers couldn’t divide the 19 camels by a half, a quarter or a fifth, so they sent for the village wise man.

On arriving on his own camel, the wise man included his own camel in the share out, now making 20 camels. Following the deceased wishes:

To then eldest son he gave half - 10
To the second he gave a quarter - 5
To the youngest he gave a fifth – 4
Totalling 19

He then rode away on the twentieth camel, his own, problem solved

Re: Here’s a math puzzle I remember from way back at school

Maths questions like that really give me the hump!

Re: Here’s a math puzzle I remember from way back at school

My brain hurts!

Re: Here’s a math puzzle I remember from way back at school

You're lucky, I'm still looking for mine.

Re: Here’s a math puzzle I remember from way back at school

Yes I remember this puzzle.

Brainteasers are a passion of mine. I could put up 100s and in fact started a thread many months ago which has now died off.

The answer to this riddle is of course that the "wise" man hasn't solved the problem. The camels were supposed to have been split as a half, a quarter and a fifth and they haven't been. Eldest son has more than half and so on.

Re: Here’s a math puzzle I remember from way back at school

The other classic brainteaser that runs on a similar line to this is the restaurant.

3 men go to a restaurant and have a meal. The total cost of the meal is £30 which the men dutifully pay.

As they are leaving the restaurant manager realises that he has overcharged them and that in fact the meal should have cost only £25.

So he quickly grabs 5 x £1 coins from the till and tells a young waiter to run after the 3 men and refund the £5.

As the waiter runs after them he thinks "hmm how can I split £5 between 3 men"?"

So he craftily pockets £2 for himself and gives each man just £1 refund each.

So we started with £30 but since each of the 3 men have had £1 back, they have only paid £9 each which is £27.
The waiter has £2 in his pocket

So where is the missing £1 ?

Re: Here’s a math puzzle I remember from way back at school

and of course if we continue this thread we will inevitably reach the classic Monty Hall Problem which fascinates many people

Re: Here’s a math puzzle I remember from way back at school

Not really, the fact that 1/2 + 1/4 + 1/5 = 19/20 is the real trick to this.